District 7 Boston City Council race likely headed to a recount, after tight preliminary election

The District race for disgraced former Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson s seat is likely headed for a recount with third-place finisher Mavrick Afonso making a formal request Monday based on his narrow -vote defeat Afonso who works in the Healey administration s Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities stated he was compelled to push for a recount to provide certainty for District voters after one of the closest preliminary elections in up-to-date city history With so much at stake for District voters deserve certainty that every ballot was counted correctly Afonso announced in a announcement This isn t about politics It s about protecting the integrity of our democracy Afonso also noted that his call for a recount has the advocacy of three other defeated District candidates Mentioned Abdikarim Samuel Hurtado and Wawa Bell and society leaders all of whom are working together to gather the signatures needed to trigger a recount in the City of Boston For district council races a recount petition demands to be signed by registered voters for each ward located within the district per the secretary of state s office The fact that other candidates and neighborhood members are united proves that fairness matters more than campaign lines Afonso declared The two winners in last week s preliminary balloting for District were Disclosed Coach Ahmed a longtime Boston Populace Schools educator and coach who founded the Boston United Track and Cross Country effort and Miniard Culpepper senior pastor of the Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church Ahmed came in first with of the vote or votes while Culpepper received of the vote or votes Afonso was close behind at of the vote or votes Abdikarim and Hurtado received and votes respectively to put them at and of the vote The race is too close to leave to chance Abdikarim announced in a declaration District deserves a recount to guarantee that the outcome accurately reflects the number of votes cast Bell who is also supporting the recount effort came in eighth at of the vote which amounted to votes per unofficial city electoral process results A recount isn t just about numbers Bell declared in a announcement It s about protecting trust in our democracy and making sure every District voter counts As things stand now Ahmed and Culpepper are set to move onto the Nov general balloting for the Roxbury-centric District seat Both stated they aid a recount and are confident that the results will remain in their favor While I remain confident the results will ultimately stand and I look forward to continuing my campaign into November this was an extremely close poll and I fully encouragement moving forward with a recount Culpepper reported in a message Every voter deserves the assurance that their voice was heard and their ballot counted What matters preponderance is protecting trust in this process Related Articles Critics make last-minute push to Mayor Wu to reject downtown Boston skyscraper plans Lucas Make way for Wu Josh Kraft suspends his Boston mayoral campaign after crushing -point preliminary defeat Boston s police accountability office tracking questionable ICE tactics Mayor Michelle Wu Boston Mayor Michelle Wu takes achievement lap after trouncing Josh Kraft in preliminary In a report Ahmed disclosed I respect the right to request a recount Given the margin I feel confident in our first-place position so I will continue knocking on doors and talking to neighbors about the issues that matter largest part housing we can afford safe streets and strong schools The District seat on the City Council has been vacant since early July when former Councilor Fernandes Anderson resigned in disgrace after pleading guilty to federal corruption charges tied to a City Hall kickback scheme She was sentenced to a month in prison earlier this month and ordered to pay in restitution